Costumes And Confessions
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: [Sequel to Vacation Days]. After a summer of dealing with her crush on Pyrrha, Ruby is at the end of her rope. She wants to confess, but it isn't going to be easy. Can she make this Halloween the best holiday ever? Or will she be too frightened to make a move?
1. The Decision

**At last, here is the promised sequel and continuation to Vacation Days! It's going to focus mainly on Ruby and Pyrrha, but the other characters and couples are in here as well of course! It's going to take place in the autumn, right after the summer vacation in the previous story!**

 **For overseerorm! Thanks for the commission!**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Costumes And Confessions

Chapter 1. The Decision

All summer long, Ruby and her group of friends enjoyed themselves together as much as possible.

Their joint trip down to Weiss' beach house was only the first of many fun activities they engaged in during their time off from school.

They did something different just about every week.

Sometimes they took day trips to amusement parks or just to the movie theater. Sometimes they went away for an entire weekend or several days at a time.

No matter what they were doing, the group of nine was always having fun together.

Even when Weiss started scolding them to get started on their summer homework, they still found a way to make things interesting.

Pyrrha had suggested a get-together where they could all work on their assignments and help each other out, to which the others had readily agreed. She'd offered her own home as the location, and with one month still left of their summer vacation, everyone who wasn't Weiss (who'd finished months earlier) finally completed all of their unfinished work. They went out to dinner later that evening to celebrate.

On some occasions, the people who were dating within their group would be absent from the rest of the group. Once, Blake and Weiss excused themselves from the rest of the group at the carnival to have some alone time together, and on another occasion, Yang and Neo split from the rest at one of the parks so they could enjoy one another.

And every time, Ruby couldn't help but wish she could do that with Pyrrha.

She didn't really know when her crush had started to blossom. When she thought about it, she couldn't really pinpoint any particular point in time when she'd started to fall for her.

But ever since Yang had introduced one of her best friends to her little sister in middle school, Ruby had always had a certain affection for Pyrrha.

Of course, she liked all of her friends in different ways. She like Weiss' perseverance and softer side, Blake's willingness to listen, Yang's support and understanding, Neo's sense of humor and seriousness. She liked Janue's hardworking nature, Ren's level-headiness, and Nora's enthusiasm.

But with Pyrrha... Ruby could never narrow it down to any one thing in particular.

She just liked... _everything_ about her.

Pyrrha was pretty, not to say that her other friends weren't, but to Ruby, Pyrrha was pretty in a _different_ way. Her voice was so pleasant to listen to, and hearing her laugh always made Ruby's stomach bubble with butterflies.

She experienced feelings around Pyrrha that none of her other friends or classmates had ever made her feel before.

She was actually surprised it had taken until their vacation at Weiss' beach house for her to realize she had romantic feelings for Pyrrha. After that, she did her best the whole rest of the summer to try and figure herself out.

Whenever their group went somewhere together, Ruby always tried to stay near Pyrrha, but she didn't do it _too_ much, because she didn't want to be obvious about it.

She was always the first to laugh at Pyrrha's jokes, and the last one to hug her before they all went their separate ways at night. Ruby hoped that, in being the last person Pyrrha hugged, maybe she might relish her warmth a little longer.

She'd tried to be subtle about showing her affections, but of course, there were certain things that never slipped under a big sister's radar.

Yang had had her suspicions all summer long, of course, but with school approaching now, she knew her little sister would have a lot more things to focus on other than her crush. She wanted to address Ruby's feelings and help her get them sorted out as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Therefore, on one of their last nights of summer vacation, Yang came flat-out and asked her about it.

Ruby had just crawled up onto her top bunk bed and flopped down with a happy sigh, cuddling up in her soft pajamas and her comfortable mattress with Zwei curled up at her side. She was just about to say goodnight to her sister when a blatant question was asked from beneath her bed.

"Hey, Ruby? When are you gonna tell Pyrrha that you like her?"

And Ruby nearly rolled right off her bed, startling the dog as she shot up like an arrow, also almost hitting her head on the slant of the wall above her bed.

"Wh- _What?!_ Yang, wh-what are you talking about?!" She hung over the side of her bed, hair frazzled and cheeks beat-red even in the late-night darkness.

Yang was lying unfazed on her back and flicked her eyes up to her sister.

"I mean what I asked," she shrugged. "So you like Pyrrha. That much is _totally_ obvious. But when are you plannin' on _telling_ her?"

Ruby sputtered and clutched the side of her bed to prevent herself from melting due to the heat in her face.

"Wha... Y-Yang, you-"

"I mean, let's be real," her sister went on. "School's gonna be startin' up again soon, and you know half our classmates have the hots for her. I mean heck, a lot of 'em have the hots for Neo and Weiss and Blake and me too, but we're all taken. Whereas Pyrrha is very much available. You think the guys and ladies don't notice that? Cuz they do."

Ruby was still gaping like a fish out of water.

"How... you-"

"All I'm sayin' is you should probably start thinking of something soon, Ruby. Because it isn't gonna be long before your rivals start going after her. And we all know that Pyrrha can take care of herself and she knows what people's intentions are most of the time. But maybe one day she'll see something she likes in one of them and she'll say yes. I just don't want that to happen and then you get hurt because you regret never even giving it a try."

Ruby still couldn't form coherent sentences. All the blood was running to her face, both from the blushing and from hanging upside-down.

"Yang...I-"

"Just think it over, 'kay? Night, Ruby."

With that, her older sister turned onto her side, leaving Ruby slack-jawed.

She couldn't believe Yang had found her out, and clearly she'd known for quite some time now, considering she'd gone into such detail giving Ruby advice. But still, Ruby wanted to think she'd been a _little_ better than that at concealing her feelings, so with a wheeze, she tried to defend herself one last time.

"I... I don't know what you mean..."

Yang didn't even turn around to face her.

"Uh-huh. Sure, Ruby."

Defeated, Ruby slithered back up onto her own bed and laid limply on her back.

 _How obvious has it been that I like Pyrrha? I mean okay, I guess it's not that much of a surprise that_ Yang _found me out. She's Yang. But... oh gosh, what if everyone else knows, too? What if Weiss and Blake know and Neo knows and Jaune and Nora and Ren know? What if_ Pyrrha _knows?!_

Slapping both hands over her face, she let out a small moan. _No, no, no! She_ can't _know! Definitely not! It's probably just Yang because she lives with me and she's always looking out for me and stuff. Hopefully no one else knows... Hopefully..._

But she did seriously consider what Yang had just told her.

With school starting up again in just a few more days, Ruby knew a lot of people would show their interest in Pyrrha.

Up until now, Pyrrha had politely refused any advances from other people, but Ruby knew it was only a matter of time until Pyrrha decided to give someone a chance.

Ruby couldn't bear the thought of seeing Pyrrha with someone else. Of course she wanted her to be happy, but Ruby couldn't help but feel jealous about someone else winning her affections. It was a strange, almost nasty kind of feeling, and she didn't like it.

 _Yang's right... I gotta at least try, or else I'll always regret it for the rest of my life! And at least if I confess and she rejects me, that way I won't feel so bad if she starts going out with someone else. I've just gotta think of a good way to tell her..._

But for now, Ruby couldn't think for much longer on that topic.

So she closed her eyes, pulling Zwei up next to herself as she let out a long sigh.

She never thought having a crush would be this hard.

* * *

 **A/N: Just a quick first chapter to get the premise for the story set! Ruby's got a decision to make! How will she handle it?**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	2. The Planning

**Time for Ruby to think over exactly what it is she wants to do. But of course she'll need a bit of help.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 2. The Planning

The remaining days of their summer vacation slipped by, and before they knew it, school was back in session.

But since all nine of them went to the same school, it wasn't all that bad.

Of their groups of friends, everyone always had at least one person they were close with in each of their classes, and most of the time, they even had three or four of their friends together.

This year, they lucked out, and all nine of them ended up in the same gym class. Nine was the perfect number for composing a team for certain games and sports, and for others, they could split up and compete against their friends. And since their gym period was the block right before lunch, it meant they all had their cafeteria time together as well.

It ensured they'd all have a very fun year together.

Everyone was ecstatic about going back to school if it meant they could be with their best friends, and in some of their cases, with their significant others.

Ruby had one class together with Weiss and Blake, who would often be separated simply because they had to sit in alphabetical order by last name. That always ensured Ruby was near Weiss and could enjoy her company whenever the teacher wasn't talking.

But Blake looked so lonely all the way on the other side of the classroom. As soon as time was up, she'd make her way over to them and wrap her arms around Weiss with such relief it made Ruby's chest feel warm.

And it wasn't just their relationship she loved to see.

Her sister had her own ways of showing affection to her girlfriend during school. Since Neo could only speak with her hands, the school administration had needed to consider hiring an interpreter.

But even before they could start making calls, Yang was in the principal's office, explaining her relationship to Neo, and offering to act as her interpreter. She already knew sign language, and she'd need to be taking all the same classes and Neo anyway, so not only would it make sense to keep them together, but it would also allow them to be happier staying by each other's sides.

So the administration had readily agreed, and now Yang was in every one of Neo's classes, sitting right beside her wherever she went.

And she _might've_ abused that power, just a little bit.

Ruby would often see them holding hands or writing little messages back and forth to one another. And she had a feeling that when they left class to head to the restroom together, there were definitely other things they were doing.

But again, Ruby loved to see her sister and her friends happy with the people they loved and cared about most.

And every time she saw Weiss and Blake hug, or Neo and Yang kiss, Ruby wanted that for herself.

With Pyrrha.

There was one class Ruby had alone with her, and that was their history class. Within the first month of school, they received several assignments, and Ruby would always timidly turn to Pyrrha for help or partnership in group activities. To which Pyrrha always smiled and replied "of course! I'd love to work with you, Ruby!"

And it was both a good and bad decision on Ruby's part.

It was good because she got to be with Pyrrha a lot in that class; she got to work with her, listen to her talk, be alone together with her to work on projects, and things of that nature.

But it was a bad decision because... she got to be _alone_.

With _Pyrrha_.

Her _crush_.

Ruby often found herself spacing out, getting lost in Pyrrha's profile, admiring the long sway of her hair, the little light in her eyes, the curve of her smile.

She got distracted a lot in that class, and whenever Pyrrha noticed as much, she'd give her a concerned look and gently tap her hand or shoulder to ask if she was alright. Ruby would always jump and reply.

"Y-Yes! Fine! I'm fine! Sorry!"

And Pyrrha would always smile and shake her head.

"It's all right! Just checking!"

And so, the first month of school passed by.

Midway through October, everyone had gotten into the swing of things and was comfortable with their schedules and how things were working out.

But with each passing day, Ruby only grew more and more anxious about her crush.

She saw the way some of their more _interested_ classmates looked at Pyrrha. A few boys had even approached her a few times, be it at lunch or in the hallways, and struck up casual conversations with her.

Pyrrha always politely engaged with them until things started turning suggestive or flirtatious, at which point she would outright decline their advances, change the subject, or excuse herself.

It always relieved Ruby to see Pyrrha refuse the offers. But every day presented another possibility that someone might ask Pyrrha out and she might say yes, and an opportunity that she herself might miss.

Ruby didn't want to miss the chance to confess to her. Even if Pyrrha said no and began dating someone else, Ruby at least wanted to let her feelings be known beforehand.

While she was doing just fine in school, her feelings for Pyrrha were taking their toll on her little by little. Sometimes she would just sigh and put her face in her hands in the middle of class, at lunch, or at dinnertime at home.

And Yang knew that was the telltale sign her sister was thinking about her crush.

She tried to talk it out with Ruby sometimes, wanting her to try and figure something out that would work best for her.

But her little sister was too shy and uncertain, and brand new in the craft of confession and dating.

Therefore, as her older sister, Yang did all she could to help her out without being totally obvious about it.

Two weeks before the end of the month, Yang arranged a sleepover one Friday night. She made sure it was a night when Pyrrha would be busy so she wouldn't be able to attend, though when Pyrrha told her as much, Yang acted surprised and regretful. Jaune, Nora, and Ren opted out for reasons of their own, leaving only five of them left.

It was perfect for Yang's plan.

She talked to Weiss in advanced about having the sleepover at her place, since Weiss' mansion had several large guest rooms that could accommodate dozens of people at a time.

But Weiss was confused as to why they needed to have this sleepover in the middle of the month rather than on a holiday weekend or a snow day.

With a little private explanation to Weiss, Blake, and Neo, Yang got them all to understand her sister's predicament. When they heard about Ruby's crush on Pyrrha, the other three got a little excited.

"Oh!" Weiss put a hand to her mouth and lowered her voice. "I mean it's about time she did something about it. It's gone on long enough, and I think Pyrrha's the only one who doesn't know at this point."

"Which is why this is perfect," Yang said. "She'll know soon enough if we can motivate Ruby to spill the beans."

"We'd known about it for a while," Blake said, nodding to Weiss. "We just weren't sure if we were... _supposed_ to know."

 _I'd had my suspicions for a long time as well,_ Neo added. _Most of us have._

"Oh, it's fine," Yang shrugged. "I called Ruby out on it a few weeks ago. She knows at least _I_ know. But maybe if she brings it up on our sleepover, you guys could act surprised? As if it wasn't as clear as the sky is blue?"

The others all nodded.

"Of course."

"Sure."

 _Can do._

So after school the designated day of the sleepover, Yang and Ruby excitedly hurried home. They packed one bag each of clothes and toiletries into Yang's car, and after kissing their dad and dog goodbye, were off to Weiss' house for a night of fun.

And hopefully for Ruby, inspiration.

They swung by to pick Neo up from her home, and after that arrived at Weiss' house. She and Blake were already in the doorway, welcoming them in as they entered.

Ruby, Yang, and Neo greeted Weiss' father and thanked him for letting them stay over tonight.

After that, they went through the events of a normal sleepover.

They enjoyed dinner together, played a few games, watched some movies, and then changed into their sleepwear just before bed. The five of them were going to stay in the same guest room on two separate beds, but until they were all ready to go to bed, they lounged on a pile of blankets and pillows on the floor in their pajamas.

At that point, it was time for Yang to enact her plan.

They'd just finished playing several verbal games, and Yang suggested the next one be truth or dare. She could see her little sister visibly turn red at the recommendation.

"Uh, I'm actually getting a little tired, you guys."

But the others knew she was trying to weasel out of this, and they wouldn't let her.

"Oh, come now," Weiss huffed. " _I'm_ not even tired yet, Ruby. How could it be that _you_ are?"

"Yeah," Blake added. "I think you can make it through one more game."

 _It'll be quick and painless_ , Neo signed, trying to assure her.

Ruby could only plaster on a tight smile and pretend she didn't already know what their intentions were.

Yang started off the game by asking Blake the question. She chose "dare" and was told not to read a single word of her current book all day tomorrow. Blake glowered at her friend through the darkness, but made no promises.

They went around a few times, and Ruby was beginning to relax and have fun with the game.

Until the final round when Neo was her partner.

 _Truth or dare, Ruby?_

Ruby had been so caught up in doing harmless dares that she wanted a change of pace. She didn't even realize what it might mean to select the other answer.

"Truth!"

Too little, too late, she saw the Cheshire grin spread across Neo's lips and realized her mistake. But there was no taking it back now.

 _Ruby. Do you like anyone?_

The others were all leaning forward now, intrigued by Neo's inquiry, as if they all hadn't already known what it would be. The four of them turned their eyes to Ruby, who squished herself back against the side of the bed and pulled a blanket up to her chin.

"O-Of course! I like all of you guys!"

The others sighed.

"Ruby-"

"You _know_ that isn't what she meant."

"Spill the beans, sis."

Ruby turned on her sister.

"Yang! You already know!"

"Oh? Do I?" Her sister smirked. "I mean, sure I said a lot of things to you the other night about a certain person, but you never confirmed nor denied any of it that I can recall. Should I take this as confirmation now?"

Ruby whined and buried her face into her knees.

"I _did_ deny it but... Fine..." she mumbled. "I... I think I like... Pyrrha..."

Her voice was so small and thin the others barely heard. If they hadn't already known the answer in advance, they might've asked her to repeat herself. But they could all breathe a sigh of relief in knowing the thing they'd always suspected had been the truth.

But they never meant to embarrass Ruby, so now they all tried to be supportive.

"That's wonderful, Ruby," Weiss murmured.

"What a great person to like," Blake added.

Ruby lifted her face up just in time to catch Neo's response.

 _The only question now is-_

"When are you going to _tell_ her?" Yang finished.

Ruby squeaked and huddled up again, peeking up over her knees like a frightened chipmunk.

"I... I don't really know... um..." She fumbled for a moment, twiddling her fingers beneath the sheet as her eyes flashed around to all of their gazes in turn. "I, uh... maybe you guys could... help me? I-I just don't know what to do! And like Yang said the other day, I don't wanna miss out and wait too long until someone else confesses to her and then I'll just regret it all!" she babbled.

"Whoa, whoa," Yang sidled closer, slipping her arm around her sister's shoulders. "Easy there, sis. Don't freak out just yet. You asked for our advice, so we'll give it to you."

Ruby blinked.

"Really...?"

"Of course! The four of us've got the experience, don't we?"

Ruby nodded slowly.

"Yeah... I guess it _would_ make sense to ask you guys about it." She straightened up a little, letting the blanket fall away. "S-So then... what do you guys think I should do...?"

They'd been waiting for her to ask that question for hours, and in Yang's case, weeks. They sat in their pairs and faced her now as they pondered their responses.

Blake and Weiss went first.

"Well," Weiss began. "There are a number of ways you could do this. First, you should decide on a time and location where you'd like to tell her."

"Right," Blake said. "Do you think you'd feel more comfortable telling her at school? Or would you rather be at your house or somewhere else? Do you think you'd want there to be other people around or not?"

"And you wouldn't want to do it before an exam, or anything like that," Weiss continued. "A confession would be far too stressful for the both of you to have to consider before something major like that."

"But like you said," Blake recounted. "You might not want to wait too long before talking to her about it."

They seemed satisfied with their replies and leaned back against the opposite bed together to demonstrate they'd finished.

Ruby was still hanging on their every word, trying to take mental notes, hoping she'd remember in the morning.

Next, it was time for Neo and Yang to give their two cents. The former began, leaning back against Yang's chest as she did so.

 _You'll want to think of what you want to do as you confess. Do you want to take her out to dinner or something? Maybe you could have a private study session with her? Do you want to tell her face-to-face, or would you rather send her flowers and write a love letter?_

When she'd finished, no one else spoke for a moment. Ruby suddenly realized all of their questions hadn't been rhetorical, and she scrambled to think of answers.

"U-Um, um! I-I don't know! I mean, I think a love letter would be kinda cute, b-but my handwriting stinks and I don't think I'd do a very good job of writing it all out. But I also don't know if I'd do very good telling her face-to-face. I'd probably start st-stammering and mumbling my words and talking way too super fast and she wouldn't even be able to understand what I was saying and-"

"You mean kinda like right now?" Yang sighed.

"Y-Yes!" Ruby piped. "A-And I don't know if I should do it at school or at home or while you guys are around or when the two of us are alone together or-"

"Okay, okay!" Yang put up both hands to stop her. "Chill out, Ruby. You don't have to decide everything right now."

"Right," Weiss agreed. "Instead of making a finalized decision right now at-" she glanced at the clock, "one forty-seven in the morning, why don't you just consider a few _potential_ ideas?"

"That sounds good," Blake said. "We can just bounce ideas around, and if something sounds doable for you, just keep it in mind."

 _We're not trying to overwhelm you,_ Neo assured her. _We're trying to help._

Ruby took another deep breath, held it in for a second, then let it out loudly.

"Okay. So ideas, ideas... Well, I don't think I could take her out to dinner alone. I'd be waaaay too nervous and freeze up and it'd just be a total disaster."

"Right," Yang agreed. "And besides, dinner alone together is usually something you do _after_ you're already dating, not when you're trying to confess."

 _We could arrange something for the whole group and then have the rest of us back out last-minute, so only Ruby and Pyrrha are left,_ Neo proposed.

"Hm..." Yang pondered the suggestion briefly. "Normally, I'd say that's a pretty good tactic, but probably if your group was only like four people, not nine. If seven of us _conveniently_ bailed at the last second, it'd probably too suspicious."

"Let's see," Blake picked up. "If you wanted to try doing it at school, you could let the rest of us know in advance and we could stick around the area in case something happens and you need our help. Like, if you decide you're not ready yet, you could give us a signal of some kind and we can step in."

"While that is a very clever idea," Weiss praised her girlfriend. "I'm not so certain school would be the best place for her to do this. I think Ruby would be more comfortable doing it someplace she knows well, where there isn't such a professional environment."

"Alright, lay it on us, princess," Yang yawned. "What do you suggest?"

Weiss smiled.

"I'm glad you asked. If you ask me, Ruby should confess to Pyrrha right _here_."

The others all stared at her in utter confusion, even her own girlfriend.

"Um, Weiss? What do you mean?" Blake wondered.

"Right here?" Yang parroted. "As in right _now?_ What, you want her to call Pyrrha up at 2 in the morning and tell her?"

 _What's funny is that you suggested she not do it in a professional environment, and then recommend the Schnee mansion._

"Hold on a moment!" Weiss snapped. "None of you let me finish! What I _meant_ was, yes, she should do it here, in my house. But not right _now_ , you bunch of oafs! At the party!"

The others all had their moment of clarity in unison.

"Oh."

 _I see._

"Y'know, Weiss, that's not half bad."

Weiss took slight offense to Yang's comment.

"What? You didn't think I could offer proper confession advice for your sister?"

"Well, if I'm being honest-"

But she was cut off when Neo jabbed her in the gut and Blake sent her a glare.

Meanwhile, Ruby was processing Weiss' suggestion, wondering if it would really work out best. She considered it seriously.

In just one week's time, Weiss would be throwing a Halloween party at her home. The Schnee mansion was definitely a place that Ruby knew well, and confessing to Pyrrha in a party atmosphere would certainly be appropriate.

If she agreed and said yes, then they could party have fun and dance together for the rest of the night.

And if things didn't work out, Ruby could always just ask Yang to drive her home.

It would be nice to be surrounded by all of her friends when she confessed, but there would be music and chatter so that no one else but Pyrrha would hear her. So no one would be able to eavesdrop, but her friends would all still be around her, making her comfortable.

All things considered, Ruby thought this just might be the solution she needed to solve her confession problem. She hardly realized it when the words tumbled out of her mouth.

"Yeah..."

The others all looked up, and she lifted her gaze to meet theirs.

"Yeah. I'll do it at the Halloween party next week. I can do that. Totally!" She was getting excited and nervous just thinking about it now.

Her enthusiasm must've spread, because her friends and sister smiled at her.

"There," Weiss said. "Now that's decided."

"I'm glad we could help you with this, Ruby," Blake added. "If you need more help with thinking it through, just ask us."

 _You have a week to think things over now,_ Neo reminded her.

"Alright?" Yang grinned. "See, doesn't it feel good to get it all off your chest?"

Ruby nodded.

"Yeah. But I think it'll feel even better to tell Pyrrha."

"Of course it will," Weiss soothed. "But for now, I think we should all get some rest."

" _What?_ " Yang cried. "Weiss, it's a sleepover! You don't _sleep_ at sleepovers! We've been through this before!"

"Then why is it part of the word?"

As the two of them started bickering, Blake and Neo tried to pacify their girlfriends.

Ruby watched them all fondly, imagining how nice it would be to have Pyrrha next to her now, laughing and snuggling up with her.

It made her all the more determined to confess to her the night of the party. And it made her realize there was one last thing she wanted to ask the others.

"Hey, guys?"

The four of them fell silent and turned to her.

"What is it, Ruby?"

She bit her lip.

"I'm sorry. I know you guys just helped me out with like, everything. But I have one more question."

"Shoot."

A pause, and finally Ruby mustered up her courage.

"How... exactly should I confess to her?"

It was a fairly open-ended question. But the other girls all smiled and answered right away, as if the solution was the most obvious one in the world:

 _"Just be yourself."_

For the remainder of the night, Ruby felt that might've been easier said than done.

But she was still determined to go through with it.

* * *

 **A/N: Planning and preparations are now complete! All that's left is to do it! But that really is easier said than done, isn't it? Especially when we're talking about confessing to your crush.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	3. The Action

**It's time for Ruby to (try to?) confess! And just so you know what to imagine them as, everyone dresses as their fairytales/who they're based off of for the party.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 3. The Action

One week later, Ruby found herself getting ready to return to Weiss' house.

But this time, it wouldn't be for a sleepover.

Halloween had fallen on a Saturday this year, which was perfect for everyone.

All day, Ruby was so excited to get into her costume and start having fun. She barely made it until noon before she pulled on her dress and her red cloak.

But that wasn't all she put on.

In addition to her costume, Ruby went to her dresser and pawed through the little jewelry boxes until she'd found the one she wanted. Inside was the little seashell bracelet Pyrrha had made for her back during their summer vacation. Pyrrha had the necklace Ruby had made for her as well.

Ruby didn't wear it often for fear of damaging or losing it, but she felt that tonight she might need it for a good luck charm. So she slipped it onto her wrist before stepping into her dress shoes and completing her outfit.

She gave Zwei a doggie headband with fuzzy, fake ears so he could be her big bad wolf.

Yang put her dress on as well, and tied her hair into long pigtails. She got into character all day long by saying that something was either too big, too small, or just right, and things of that nature.

Once the afternoon rolled around and the youngest of kids started making their rounds for trick-or-treating, the two sisters stood side by side handing out candy with pleasant, playful smiles.

They did so for a few hours, until Yang decided it was time to start getting ready for Weiss' party. She took her leave from the door to shower and put her outfit in the wash at the same time, then changed into a festive orange tank-top and black shorts while she put her outfit in the dryer. She then switched spots with Ruby, who did the same with her costume.

Ruby showered for a few extra minutes, and used a bit more shampoo than usual. After all, she didn't want to be smelly when she confessed to Pyrrha later tonight.

Just thinking about it made her nerves rear their ugly heads. All day, she'd been able to put off thinking about Pyrrha, because she'd been able to distract herself with celebrating Halloween and handing candy out to the kids.

But now, as she realized time was drawing her closer and closer towards her inevitable confession, she was becoming more unsettled.

She put on some casual clothes and ate a quick supper with Yang and their dad, taking turns to leave the table whenever kids called out at the door.

Around 6 o'clock, the sisters put their costumes back on. They put on their dress shoes and prepared to head out, while their dad wished them well.

"Have fun tonight, you two."

"You too, Dad!" Ruby chirped. "The kids are counting on you to hand out the candy now!"

As she gave her dad a hug, Yang was alerted to her phone.

"Oh! Neo's here!" She spun around and gave her dad a hug as well. "Bye, Dad! See ya later!"

"No later than midnight, okay?"

"Got it! Come on, Ruby!" She took her little sister by the wrist and pulled her out the front door.

A car was just driving away, leaving a very charming girl behind. Neo's hair was all loose, waves of brown and pink falling not down her back as usual, but this time she'd pulled it over each of her shoulders to show in the front. She was wearing an adorable dress and carrying a lacy pink parasol over one shoulder. As soon as she saw Yang, however, she put the prop down and opened her arms without a word.

With a squeal, Yang rushed forward and scooped her up into a big hug.

"You look adorable! Like, even _more_ adorable than usual!"

Of course, Neo couldn't respond until her enthusiastic girlfriend let her down. Once she'd gathered her fallen parasol, she tucked it under her arm and signed.

 _Thank you! That dress is very becoming on you, too. You look lovely, Yang._ She smiled, then turned to Ruby. _Your dress is very cute, Ruby._

"Thanks!"

With a blush, she had to wonder if Pyrrha would think the same.

The three girls made their way over to Yang's yellow Porsche and got in. She put on her Halloween playlist right away, and together, the three of them got into the mood on the ride to Weiss' place.

The usually pristine mansion looked very different today. The tall gates that surrounded the property now had cobweb decorations spread all around them, littered with plastic spiders. Fog machines clogged the area in white smoke, and as the sun was setting, it cast shadows over the white mansion, making it look black and eerie. Creepy music was being played from some window on the top floor, giving the place an overall very spooky atmosphere.

As Yang parked on the side of the road, the three of them admired the place.

"Damn," Yang whistled. "Every year, I'm just amazed by how her family goes all-out."

"I think it's kinda cute that her Dad really likes Halloween!" Ruby giggled.

The brunette got out of the car first, then watched Yang hurry out and around to open Neo's door for her. She took her hand with a bow and helped her out.

Again, Ruby imagined what it might be like to do things like that with Pyrrha.

 _N_ _o, no, no! I shouldn't think about it! Because if it doesn't happen, I'll be even sadder!_

She shook herself off just as Yang called for her. Ruby scurried over to the others to follow them up the pathway that led to the door. Little cut-out headstones lined the path, making it look like a misty graveyard.

 _Spooky_ , Neo commented.

"Yeah," said her date. "But you know what? I'll bet every kid in town comes up here. They know the Schnees give good candy."

"Which is funny," Ruby snorted. "You'd think Weiss would just give them apples."

At last, they reached the front door and gave a few knocks. It was only a moment before they heard the familiar call of "Coming!"

Weiss opened the door to greet them, her pretty white fairytale princess dress completely contrasting the feel of the creepy mansion.

"Well, this is a surprise!" She stepped aside to let them in. "Yang, usually you're the last one to arrive."

"Not this time, princess! Gotta give Ruby as much time as possible. Tonight's a big night!"

"Yaaang! Don't just _talk_ about it like that in the open!"

"Whoops!"

Weiss rolled her eyes, but led them through the parlor and to the nearest ballroom to where the party was being held tonight.

Inside, the lights were mostly off, save for a few spooky purple and orange bulbs lining the walls. There were tables pushed off to the sides offering refreshments and snacks, while the appropriate, festive music played from speakers set up high in the corners of the room. There was a bit of fog inside as well, and a large space in the center of the room for people to dance and have fun.

Of course, when Weiss Schnee threw a party, she didn't invite just anyone, but she didn't only invite her closest friends, either. There were already a few of their other, more well-known classmates present, dressed like monsters and princesses alike.

Ruby spotted Weiss' sister Winter as well. She had dressed up in a military outfit, and was quite literally standing guard to oversee things and make sure the night went smoothly for everyone.

She spotted Blake as well, adorned in a beautiful, long golden gown, her dark hair all down and making for a perfect contrast to bring out her pale skin. She caught sight of her friends and hurried over, but just as she reached them, she stumbled a bit in her heels, and her girlfriend had to quickly steady her.

"Oh-!"

"Blake, be careful!" Weiss chided, helping her straighten up. "You're clearly not used to moving around in these kind of shoes."

"Funny," Blake said. "Last time it was you who was wearing the wrong shoes." She briefly reminisced their time together on the boardwalk during summer vacation. Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Not until you stop being so cute when you pout about it."

"Ummm~" Yang cut in. "Hello? Party going on here? Geez, are you two gonna be flirting like this all night?"

"Like you can talk, Yang," Blake chuckled. "You've kissed Neo at least three times within the past minute."

"So what?" Yang defended.

As her friends and sister got to playfully arguing with one another, Ruby started to space out a bit. Pyrrha wasn't here yet, and she didn't know what kind of costume she'd be wearing tonight. Ruby knew she'd look gorgeous in anything at all, but she wasn't sure if she was prepared to confess to her tonight, especially if Pyrrha was wearing some dazzling outfit.

She must've been visibly fretting, because the other four all looked at her now.

"Ruby?" Blake asked. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, totally fine! Tonight's gonna be great!" Her voice trembled, just a little.

Weiss took a step closer and lowered her voice.

"Remember, we'll be around if you need to talk to any of us."

"Right," Yang agreed. "We can give you tips or support or whatever you'll need."

 _And even if you decide you can't do it tonight, that's fine,_ Neo reminded her.

Ruby took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"You're right. Thanks, you guys. I'll do my best tonight!"

"Oh, and good timing," Weiss noted, pulling her phone from her dress' pocket. "Pyrrha just texted me that those four have arrived. I'll go fetch them."

"I'll come with you." Blake looped her arm through Weiss' and headed out of the ballroom to accompany her to the door.

Ruby whimpered softly to herself and clutched at her dress.

"Yang... I don't know if I can-"

"Ruby, she hasn't even gotten here yet. Don't give up already."

 _Yang's right. You've got all night to think about how you're going to do this_.

Ruby swallowed hard, her eyes already trained on the threshold. She rolled down her sleeve to reveal her seashell bracelet, which she gave a small kiss to before concealing it once more.

Yang and Neo stayed nearby as they waited for Weiss and Blake to return. When they did, they weren't alone.

Ren was dressed in a very traditional style, giving off a calming, spiritual look. Jaune was carrying a plastic sword and shield, and wore a costume that looked like it was from the kids' section at the costume store. Nora was dressed in a strange combination of plastic armor and a poofy pink princess dress, and she bounded into the room behind the two boys, shouting out greetings.

"Hello~o~o~o all! Happy Halloween!"

"Hi, Nora!"

As her sister greeted Nora and the others, Ruby didn't even dare to blink as the final person entered the room.

She was also wearing armor, golden plates and bits of red, streaming fabric decorating her shoulders and hips. Her hair matched those, and was tied up into a high ponytail to sway between her shoulder blades when she walked. A small golden crown sat atop her head, and an emerald necklace hung at her collar to match her eyes.

Ruby was speechless, mouth gaping open like a fish out of water. Pyrrha was every inch the warrior princess, and Ruby couldn't take her eyes off of her.

She entered the room wearing a smile brighter than all the lights combined. Her voice rang out like an angel's over all the hellish music being played.

"Happy Halloween, everyone! Oh my goodness, you all look wonderful! This is so grand!" She pulled Weiss and Blake in to each of her sides, giggling merrily. "My two princess! What a perfect match you are! Those dresses are gorgeous on you." Her compliments made both of them flush. Pyrrha squeezed Weiss and Blake into a quick hug, then moved on to Yang and Neo.

"And you two look lovely as well! I don't quite think I've ever seen you both in dresses at the same time!" She pulled that pair into a zealous hug as well, as thanks and compliments were shared between all parties.

Ruby stood there like a deer in headlights, frozen, wondering if Pyrrha would turn to her next. Part of her wasn't expecting her to, so when she really did turn to Ruby, the brunette stiffened.

"And Ruby!" Pyrrha sang. "Look at you! How adorable!"

Ruby scrambled to find her voice.

"Th-Thanks, Pyrrha. Y-You- eep!" She cut off with a squeal when Pyrrha pulled her into an enthusiastic embrace.

But unlike before when she'd hugged two people at once, this embrace was all for Ruby.

The brunette struggled to snap out of her trance, wriggling her arms up and around Pyrrha's shoulders to return the contact timidly. Pyrrha squeezed her tight, and Ruby almost whimpered again with how nice it felt. She didn't want it to end.

However, she knew the others were all probably watching right now, and since most of them knew what she planned to do tonight, Ruby got flustered. She stepped away from Pyrrha, even though she could tell the taller girl would have been fine letting it linger a moment longer.

But Pyrrha didn't keep her there. She let Ruby go willingly, though Ruby thought she witnessed a small flinch, and an even smaller frown on her face, just for a split second.

But another second later, the smile was back, making Ruby wonder if it had ever actually left at all.

"U-Um..." Ruby cleared her throat. "You look really nice, too, Pyrrha."

She wanted to say more. Gosh, she wanted to say _so much more_.

But she didn't want to overwhelm Pyrrha or have her comments come off as excessive or make her uncomfortable somehow. So she held her tongue and just stuck with what she'd said thus far.

Pyrrha grinned a smile all for her.

"Thank you so much, Ruby! It makes me so happy to hear you say that!"

But before Ruby could fully register the words, or even think to ask Pyrrha what she'd meant by them, the other girl was twirling around to face the rest of their group.

"Well now, shall we go have some fun?"

The response was unanimous.

"Yeah!"

The party was soon underway, with all of its attendees beginning to enjoy themselves.

Weiss and Blake were in and out of the room for a while as they greeted newcomers, but eventually the ballroom was just about filled with guests.

Some people danced in the center and others just chatted at the refreshment tables, while some made up games they could play in the ballroom.

Naturally, Ruby tended to follow her sister around and do whatever Yang was doing at the moment. But most importantly, she tried to avoid being alone with Pyrrha.

But she had to be smart about it. She didn't want to give Pyrrha too much extra attention, but she also didn't want to completely ignore her. Ruby was struggling to find a balance between the two, the amount of attention a good friend would give to another good friend, rather than the attention someone gave to their crush.

 _Gosh!_ Ruby thought as she grabbed a glass of water – leave it to Weiss Schnee to put out actual wine glasses instead of plastic cups. _This used to be so easy when I didn't like her this way! I never had to think about this so much!_ She downed the glass to cool herself off a little, then placed it on the "used" side of the table.

She kept one eye on Pyrrha, who was currently dancing merrily with Nora, their armor gleaming in the dim lighting.

The party hadn't even been underway for an hour, and yet Ruby had already witnessed several people come up and ask Pyrrha to dance. Pyrrha had accepted each request, laughing and jumping around as she enjoyed herself.

While the songs playing weren't exactly romantic slow songs, Ruby still couldn't help but feel jealous.

As Pyrrha's friend, Ruby could dance with or beside her whenever she wanted. She didn't really have to ask. If she did, it might put Pyrrha under suspicion, or seem awkward somehow.

Presently, Ruby groaned and slumped down into an empty seat against the wall.

"Why is this so haaard...?"

She spaced out a little bit, thinking about Pyrrha and how and when she was going to confess to her tonight. And of course, Ruby started second-guessing herself, considered holding off on it after all.

Luckily for her, her friends and sister noticed her absence, and spotted her. Before she could plummet into nervousness and despair, Yang, Neo, Weiss, and Blake slipped their way through the dancing people and approached her.

"Ruby." Yang spoke to get her sister's attention.

Ruby lifted her head, biting her lip instantly as she realized she'd been found out.

"O-Oh! Hi, guys! What's up?"

"You know what's up, sis. Why're you doubting yourself about this? You decided you were gonna do it tonight, so just do it!"

"But Yang, it's not that easy!" she wailed against the music. "I want it to be... to be _nice_. Something she'll remember, even if it doesn't work out in the end."

"I'm sure she'd consider anything you did to be nice," Weiss assured her. "But you've got to do _something_."

"What's holding you back?" Blake wondered. "Nervous?"

"Yeah..." Ruby admitted. "And I'm... a little scared..."

 _Of getting hurt if this isn't what she wants?_ Neo guessed.

Ruby hung her head. But her big sister had her back, which she gave a big slap to.

"Well don't act like it's already over! You didn't even do anything yet, Ruby! Where's that positive, optimistic little sister of mine?"

"Yang's absolutely right," Weiss agreed. "Don't count yourself out before the race has even begun, Ruby."

"The... race?" Blake chuckled.

"Never heard that one before," Yang commented.

"Oh, hush! You all know what I mean!"

As they started playfully bickering again, it made Ruby feel better. They were right, about everything. She couldn't just give up before she even tried.

She straightened her back from where she was sitting, curling both hands into fists in her lap.

"Yeah! You guys are right! I just... gotta think of a good time to do it! I could wait for a nicer, sort of slower or quieter song, when there aren't so many people jumping around and stuff. I could either take her to the middle of the dance floor and- No wait, then everyone would see us and she might feel pressured to give an answer. Um... maybe I should just take her aside? Or maybe I could work it into a normal conversation instead of making it its own thing. Or I could-"

"I have an idea," Yang cut in. "Stop over-thinking this."

"Like we said before," Blake told her. "Just... be yourself, Ruby. You don't need to plan out anything elaborate."

 _That just presents more opportunities for things to go wrong,_ Neo reasoned.

Ruby took their words to heart and realized everything they were saying made sense. She started to mentally erase all of her plans.

"Okay... Okay... So then, maybe-"

But she didn't get to finish thinking out loud to them. From the center of the room came three of their friends – Jaune, Nora, and Ren – who headed straight for them.

"Hey!" Jaune grinned. "What're you guys doing over here? There's like... kind of a party going on, you know."

"Right you are, sir!" Nora declared. "Parties are meant for movin' and groovin', not sitting on the sidelines like a bunch of wallflowers! It's time to shake what your mammas gave you! Let's go, you slowpokes!"

Nora grabbed, a flustered Weiss with one hand and a blushing Blake with the other, while Jaune ushered Yang, and Ren followed behind them with Neo. Ruby was left in her chair as the others paraded off. She quickly fixed her hair a bit and smoothed out her dress, and was about to get up to follow them.

But someone stopped her.

Pyrrha glided her way through the crowds of dancers, pausing only briefly to apologize to someone who bumped into _her_.

Ruby froze, unsure of what to do. The others were all off dancing now, and no one was really paying attention. Could this be her chance?

She shook herself off as Pyrrha finally reached her, smiling enthusiastically at her friend.

"Phew! I made it! How are you doing on this wonderful evening, Ruby?"

Ruby gave her best grin in return.

"I'm good! It's a lot of fun!"

"It is, isn't it? I think I've had a little _too_ much fun, though. I need a drink!" Pyrrha passed by in front of Ruby for a moment and got herself a clean wine glass from the refreshments table. She lifted up the pitcher of ice water and poured some for herself, then picked up her glass and took a seat.

Right beside Ruby.

Pyrrha let out a slightly breathless sigh before she began drinking. Ruby could tell she'd been enjoying herself all this time.

 _And what have I been doing? Worrying. Freaking out. Ugh..._

Pyrrha finished her drink with a satisfied sigh. She wiped her forehead, shifting her crown accessory aside for a moment to cool herself off a bit. Ruby waited stiffly, debating whether or not she should speak up now, or maybe wait just one second longer-

"Well that was refreshing!" Pyrrha said, getting to her feet. "I think I'm ready for more dancing now. Care to join me?" She turned to Ruby, wearing an expectant smile and offering her hand.

It took Ruby a minute to realize this was actually happening.

"H-Huh? What? Me?"

"Of course! I've gotten to dance with just about everyone else in the room tonight except for you! You don't have to, of course. I just-"

"N-No, no!" Ruby gasped. "I want to! Let's go!" She reached out and slipped her hand into Pyrrha's, squeezing gently. Pyrrha smiled gleefully and gave a gentle tug to help her up.

From there, the warrior princess and fairytale girl made their way to the center of the room. There was some upbeat Halloween song playing, with all kinds of monster-like sound effects and fun lyrics. Everyone around them was singing along and having a good time.

So that's what Ruby tried to do as well. She tried not to think about how much she liked Pyrrha and about confessing to her. For now, she just wanted to have fun with her.

And she did.

Sometimes, they faced each other and danced without thinking, just letting their bodies move however felt best.

And sometimes, they came together, if only briefly, hands holding wrists or hips as they twirled one another, laughing merrily. They moved in circles or back and forth, sometimes they jumped, sometimes they swayed.

There were no rules here tonight; they just wanted to enjoy themselves and each other.

They must've danced for hours. At least, that was what it felt like. Ruby didn't keep track of the time or count how many songs came and went.

But once her feet started to ache a little and her skin started getting warm, she knew it was time to take a break.

Pyrrha must've felt the same way, because she started to slow down in her dancing, and though her smile remained, she was breathless again. She met Ruby's gaze and offered out her arm.

"Well... this was certainly exciting... would you like to join me for another drink?"

Ruby looped her arm through Pyrrha's.

"Yes, please!"

Once again, they returned to the refreshments table. Pyrrha poured some water for Ruby first and then some for herself.

As they drank, Ruby didn't notice when her sleeve rolled up a bit. Pyrrha paused for a moment with a little gasp.

"Oh! Ruby, is that the bracelet I made you?"

The brunette looked sheepishly down at her wrist and nodded.

"Y-Yeah. I'd just felt like wearing it tonight."

"What a coincidence!" Pyrrha moved aside her fake armor and reached down to her neckline. From beneath her shirt, she pulled out a seashell necklace. "I just so happen to be wearing the piece you made for me as well!"

That surprised Ruby a little bit, but she smiled.

"We match!"

"We do!" Pyrrha agreed.

For a moment, they both cooled down a little, sitting side by side as they watched the party from a distance. The din of chatter was becoming background noise now, blending in with the music.

A sense of nervousness and one of excitement spread through Ruby simultaneously.

This was her chance. It just felt like the time to say something.

Her heart was pounding, but she had to do it. There'd be no better chance-

"Ruby?"

"H-Huh? Yeah?"

Stammering, she blinked and focused her eyes on Pyrrha's beautiful green ones.

The taller girl was smiling, but it wasn't as big as usual. Rather, it was softer somehow, shyer. She held Ruby's gaze for only a few seconds before looking away.

"You know... there's something I wanted to talk to you about. Would... now be a good time for you to hear me out?"

Ruby clamped her mouth shut and bit her lip, swallowing hard.

"Uh... yeah, sure. Of course. What's... what's up...?"

She was already dreading to imagine what Pyrrha might tell her now.

 _I'm too late. She's already dating someone else, or she likes somebody else. I was too late, I was too late-!_

"Ruby... I really like you."

 _I've missed my chance and ruined everyth- ...what?_

"W...What?" She voiced her confusion with shocked eyes and a slack jaw. Clearly, she'd heard wrong, or she was misinterpreting things-

"I... I just really like you, Ruby. As more than a friend. And I've been wanting to tell you for a long time now..." Pyrrha's voice was soft, private, and very earnest.

Ruby didn't believe what she was hearing.

Was this some kind of dream? A vision of some fantasy she'd mentally imposed herself into? Was she in an alternate universe?

All she could do was mumble and stutter.

"Wh... What...?"

Pyrrha shook her head, sighing as the smile fell away.

"I'm sorry it's so sudden. Like I said, I'd been... _wanting_ to say something for a long time now. But I just didn't know when I should do it or how. I didn't know how to explain it to you properly. Jaune and the others have been trying to help me for weeks, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it... until now. Because it just _felt_ right."

Here, she turned her distraught eyes on her friend. "But, Ruby, I'm so sorry if... if this hurts you in some way. I never meant to make you upset or risk jeopardizing our friendship by telling you how I feel. If you'd rather just stay as friends, then that's fine! I just wanted to tell you. Please don't be upset..."

Ruby was at a loss, still staring blankly at her, trying to comprehend what was happening.

 _Th-This is real? I'm not just imagining it? Wh-What's going on, oh my god!_

She was an absolute mess. She didn't know what to say or how to say it, so her only response for a long moment was shellshocked silence.

Pyrrha must've thought she'd upset Ruby, judging by her lack of response. She shook her head slowly, and Ruby saw a single tear fall down her cheek.

"Look what I've done..." she whimpered. "I've ruined it... I'm so sorry, Ruby. I didn't mean to-"

"Pyrrha!"

At last, Ruby snapped out of her dumbfounded trance and forced herself to reply.

This _was_ real. This _was_ happening. And Pyrrha was crying for no reason.

Ruby didn't waste another second. She threw both arms around Pyrrha's shoulders and squeezed her tighter than ever before, clinging to her as she buried her face into the side of her neck and babbled a confession of her own.

"Pyrrha, Pyrrha, please don't cry, oh my gosh! It's okay! It's really, really okay! Because it's the same for me! I've felt the same way all this time and I just never knew what to say or how to say it or when to say it, but I've always liked you so so _so_ much!

"I love talking to you and being with you and making seashell jewelry with you! And I was so scared you wouldn't feel that way about me or that you might already have someone else you liked and I didn't wanna mess that up for you or make things awkward between us!

"But I talked to Yang and the others and they all said I should tell you how I felt and I decided I'd do it tonight but I just didn't get the chance yet until now and please don't cry! You don't have to cry Pyrrha, because I feel the same way about you and I always have!"

She seemed to say it all in one breath, and as soon as she was finished, she only clung to Pyrrha tighter and nuzzled into her collar.

Now, it was Pyrrha's turn to be shocked beyond words. She'd toiled away hours upon days upon weeks thinking about this moment, and most of her had been expecting it to end with the two of them parting as just friends. She'd barely considered the better outcome, but now it was playing out right before her, quite literally in her very arms.

Slowly, she lifted her arms up around Ruby's sides and pressed her hands over her back, pulling her close.

"Ruby..." She blinked, and more tears dripped down. "Do... Do you really... m-mean all of that? Is it true...?"

Ruby nodded vigorously before pulling back a little. She was crying now too, but there was a big, toothy smile spread across her lips as she looked up into Pyrrha's watery emerald eyes.

"Yes! Of course I mean it, Pyrrha! Like I said, I've been wanting to do this for... for longer than I can remember! Yang and Neo and Weiss and Blake have been trying to help me, but I just didn't know what to do or how to do it and I'm repeating myself now but... but yes! I like you too, Pyrrha! Gosh, I like you _so_ much!"

She gazed adoringly up into Pyrrha's eyes, putting every shred of affection into it as possible.

Pyrrha gasped softly, and a wobbly smile made its way onto her lips. She blinked and dipped her head as more tears fell, making a sound somewhere between a chuckle and a whimper.

"Oh goodness..." she sniffled. "Oh my goodness... I'm sorry I-I'm such a mess. I just... didn't think-" She closed her eyes and brought a hand to her face, wiping her eyes.

Ruby giggled and hugged her again.

"It's okay, Pyrrha. You don't have to be sorry! We both agree on this, after all!"

Pyrrha nodded once more, returning the hug.

"You're... you're absolutely right!" Pyrrha tightened her embrace on Ruby, allowing her excitement to manifest itself as the uncertainties faded away.

Ruby could feel as the tension left Pyrrha's body, and her little sobs turned into hiccups of laughter. Ruby sniffled a bit as well, but was glad to know that Pyrrha's tears and her own were happy ones now.

And she realized how ironic it all was. Pyrrha had felt the _same_ way all along. She'd been nervous and scared about telling Ruby, too, enough to seek advice from Jaune, Ren, and Nora, just as Ruby had consulted with the others.

They'd both been so worried, so anxious, tried to act normal around one another.

And now...

Now they were here.

"Oh my gosh!" Ruby still couldn't believe it. She squealed into Pyrrha's collar and hugged her like her life depended on it.

Pyrrha laughed and did the same, running her fingers through Ruby's hair.

"I... Oh, I'm so glad..." she whispered. "Ruby, I'm so _happy_..."

"Me too, Pyrrha," she murmured. "Me, too."

They stayed like that for a few long minutes, relishing the relief and joy of having their bottled-up feelings revealed, and reciprocated.

Ruby was ecstatic, as one could only be after they'd just spent hours worrying about something that ended up turning out better than ever could've been expected.

Pyrrha was still trying to compose herself. She was taking deep breaths to try and stop the tears, and Ruby could still feel her shaking a little.

It both flattered and amazed her to know that Pyrrha Nikos, the girl who was usually so confident and composed, had been reduced to a stuttering, sobbing mess because of her delicate feelings for Ruby. She'd been so scared about hurting her or potentially losing their friendship. It made Ruby realize just how much she _meant_ to Pyrrha, and that made her want to cry all over again.

A few tears snuck out and traveled down her cheeks, seeping into the materials of Pyrrha's shirt. Ruby could feel a damp spot on her own shoulder from Pyrrha's tears as the taller girl tried to calm herself down. Ruby nestled in closer, tucking her head beneath Pyrrha's chin and pressing close to her collar.

"Thank you..." she whispered to her. "Thank you, Pyrrha."

Pyrrha shook her head, once more half-laughing, half-sobbing.

"No... thank _you_ , Ruby... I've always... _always_ wanted this..."

Ruby sighed, closing her eyes.

"Same for me."

All the while, people in the room glanced over and noticed something was going on, but no one interfered. Their friends all observed from afar, cheering softly for Pyrrha and Ruby.

Jaune and Ren high-fived one another in celebration of Pyrrha's success, while Nora clasped her hands together and gave a dreamy sigh.

Weiss ended up shedding a few tears, and Blake wiped them away for her, replacing them with kisses. Neo leaned into Yang's side, and the blonde let out a huge sigh as she watched her little sister and her best friend confess.

"Way to go, you guys. You did it."

But Ruby and Pyrrha didn't look to their circle of friends just yet. For now, they were only focused on one another.

Ruby reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Pyrrha's ear, and Pyrrha bent down to nuzzle her cheek. It was then Ruby let out a small whistle.

"Wow... I can't even believe this just happened..."

Pyrrha's eyes were full of mirth as she got to her feet.

"Well it did! Care to join me for another dance?"

Ruby hopped up after her.

"You bet'cha!"

She accepted Pyrrha's hand, and together they made their way back out into the crowds to have some fun.

This time, they could dance without having to worry about their feelings getting in the way.

Because this time, they both knew for certain that their feelings were reciprocated.

For the remainder of the night, until the clock struck twelve, they enjoyed the magic with their friends and each other.

Once midnight came around, Weiss and Winter politely declared the party to be over, and the guests started to depart. Everyone thanked the hostesses before saying goodbye, and Ruby made sure to do the same.

She scurried over to not only Weiss, but to Blake, Neo, and Yang as well. She threw her arms around each of them in turn, squealing.

"Thank you, thank you, thank yooou guys!"

She didn't need to say why she was thanking them. They all knew. And they returned her hugs with words of congratulations.

At the same time, Pyrrha was thanking Jaune, Nora, and Ren for their support. Ren returned her embrace proudly, Nora returned it with friendly force, and Jaune tried to return it, but Pyrrha just ended up picking him up off the floor a bit.

Once they'd thanked their friends, Ruby and Pyrrha slipped away again to find one another. Pyrrha opened her arms, and Ruby ran forward into them with a happy sigh.

"I had so much fun tonight with you, Pyrrha. I'm so happy!"

"As am I," she agreed. "I'm so happy, Ruby!"

"M-Maybe sometime next week we can um, like... go to a movie or something? Just the two of us?"

"That sounds grand! I would love to!"

They hugged and giggled and twirled around a little bit, merrily soaking in the feeling of finally being able to be with the person they liked the most.

But once the jitters had ebbed away, something more tender replaced them.

Pyrrha leaned down, her eyes asking a different question. Even without words Ruby understood, and she wasn't sure about her response. But she closed her eyes and lifted her chin, because she trusted Pyrrha.

Pyrrha knew that, and she didn't want to move too quickly.

So when she pressed her lips onto Ruby's skin, it was on the side of her cheek, sweetly.

Ruby let out a content little noise, feeling the heat boiling all over her face. But she did her best to return the contact, clumsily bumping her lips against the side of Pyrrha's face briefly.

When they pulled back, both realized they'd managed to make the other blush. Pyrrha put a hand to her mouth, her eyes looking bashfully down into silver.

"W-Well then... goodnight, Ruby."

Ruby gulped, but smiled.

"Yeah... g'night, Pyrrha."

At the doorway, they went their separate ways, but the warmth and the kisses would linger for some time to come.

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 **A/N: Finally, Ruby and Pyrrha complete the lovebird quartet within their group of friends! And boy, do they deserve it! But never fear, I wouldn't just end it here. There will be a small epilogue~**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	4. Epilogue - The Aftermath

**A/N: I just felt that ending the story after the dance wasn't nearly enough. Ruby and Pyrrha would've been cheated out of real romantic moments, so I'm giving them a little extra something here!**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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Epilogue. The Aftermath

Just a week after the Halloween party, Ruby found herself in the same place she'd been a week _before_ the party.

She was back in Weiss' guest bedroom, surrounded by her friends, all comfy and happy in their pajamas.

Only this time, there was one more person together with them.

While Weiss and Blake cuddled up against one of the beds, and Neo sat in Yang's lap on the floor, Ruby found herself snuggling up against a girlfriend of her own.

Pyrrha hadn't been able to stop smiling all night long.

She'd always loved having fun with her friends, but having a _girlfriend_ to enjoy it with was even better than she could describe.

At first, she'd worried about leaving Nora out of their girls' night, but her friend had decided to skip and take the boys out to see some viking movie tonight instead.

Which allowed Pyrrha to enjoy her first ever sleepover with a girlfriend of her own.

The six of them played games and watched movies all night, and for many hours found things to chat and laugh about.

But the hours passed them by all too quickly it seemed.

The first indication that it had gotten rather late was always a telltale sign for them all.

Weiss had always been one for schedules, and her body was used to sleeping when the sun went down. She fell asleep against Blake's shoulder at around 1AM, when they'd all been sitting on the floor, covered in blankets and pillows.

At that point, they all knew it was time to go to bed.

With only two guest beds, the five girls who were still awake needed to decide who would be sleeping where.

After consulting with Neo for a moment, Yang spoke up.

"Well it's Weiss' house. She gets one bed no matter what. So Blake, take your pick. As for the rest of us-" She swept her gaze around to Ruby and Pyrrha with a grin. "Why don't you two take the other bed, huh? Enjoy your first night sleeping next to each other as official girlfriends. Neo and I've done enough of that and we don't mind crashing on the floor tonight."

"Really?" Ruby whispered in excitement. "You mean it, Yang?"

"Course I do! Just help us make the floor comfy, will ya?"

"Can do!" Pyrrha declared.

So Ruby and Pyrrha helped Yang and Neo gather up all the extra blankets and pillows and arrange them nicely on the floor. They folded the quilts and stacked them until they formed a large, soft mattress thick enough where Yang and Neo wouldn't even be able to feel the hardness of the floor beneath them.

In the meantime, Blake gently scooped Weiss into her arms and cradled her sleeping girlfriend close as she carried her over to the bed. Pyrrha helped her pull the covers down, and together they lowered Weiss onto the mattress without waking her.

Blake nodded her thanks to Pyrrha, then wished the others goodnight as the lamp was turned off. She crawled into bed beside Weiss and pulled the blankets up over herself. Leaning over her girlfriend, Blake planted a small kiss on her cheek before curling herself around Weiss, hugging her gently. She rested her head on Weiss' shoulder and closed her eyes with a happy sigh.

Yang and Neo had just gotten comfortable on the floor as well. Yang gladly invited her petite girlfriend to lie on top of her chest.

When Neo laid herself down on top of her, Yang secured her in place with both arms.

When Yang kissed her forehead, Neo kissed her neck.

They did a lot of kissing before they were tired enough to finally try and sleep.

And in the other bed, Ruby and Pyrrha were trying to figure things out.

They'd both gotten beneath the covers to lie down, but neither really knew where to go from there. They didn't know how to position themselves, so they just gave anything a try.

For a while, Pyrrha spooned her smaller girlfriend, and Ruby kept wiggling in quiet delight as Pyrrha pulled her in close.

But after a while, arms started getting numb, so they shifted.

Next, Ruby tried resting her head on Pyrrha's shoulder, but she felt she was too heavy for it to be comfortable for the taller girl.

Instead, Pyrrha laid on her back and invited Ruby to lie on top of her stomach. Ruby timidly crawled over her, but being face to face with Pyrrha like this, even in the dark, was a little much for the two of them. After only a few minutes of hair-petting and cuddles, they changed again.

They wound up on their sides to face one another, and while Pyrrha positioned her arms around Ruby's back and shoulders, Ruby hugged her loosely around her sides.

This felt just right for them both. It was warm and comfortable, and they could be as close together as they liked.

For a while, Ruby stroked her fingers through Pyrrha's long, loose hair, sometimes making her giggle and sigh.

In return, Pyrrha trailed lazy little kisses along Ruby's hairline, over her cheeks, and up again to her forehead.

"Goodnight, Ruby."

"Mm... night, Pyrrha..."

And somewhere along the lines they drifted off into a dreamworld they'd never known before they'd had each other.

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 **A/N: Thanks so much for reading! This little series of stories was a lot of fun to write, especially since it allows me to write three different pairs that I enjoy!**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


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